Crop @ Ellenbrook

Last night I had the best fun at my first 'real' crop, as in one run by a bricks and mortar shop! It was somewhat overwhelming getting to know new people, but that's normal for me, can rabble on a hundred miles a minute to a total stranger on the net, but IRL is so different... at first!! I did have Cath and Kim there and I knew Jen {the manager}. And I also had a very delightful surprise in that Jules & Christine {members from Vicki's Venue} were there, such a small small world!!

Everyone was so nice and I felt right at home... I was a little surprised at some people saying go here to get this from there etc, while in another shop. Wonderfully helpful but I went in thinking of the crop as similar to a forum with a shop attached situation, maybe that's allowed? Will get to know the "crop politics" in due course I'm sure! Obviously a few of the ladies know I have my own store anyway, some are friends, some have been customers... it's a small world as I said! So anyways, I'm booked in to go next fortnight... woohoo!! And they do 12hour crops as well, so will HAVE to go do that one time to!

Oh and yep... I kinda finished 3 LO's... kinda as in I've done 3 but they need something 'more'. Will share them when I get them finished!!

Duo CC'ing this weekend!

Was a busy girl this weekend!!

Went to see the tax agent... AGAIN... and it's still wrong. Man I hate MYOB... even when you think it makes sense it doesn't!! And WTF I registered for GST is beyond me... no way am I going to turn over those kinds of $... thankfully the tax agent can unregister me for this tax year... woohooo bye bye BAS!!! Anyway... have another appointment this weekend and hopefully I'll have the #^%*$(# thing sorted out this time! It so shows that I am a scrapper and an estimator... I am by no means an accountant... !!

After that I had a most delightful afternoon with the girls, well the girls minus Kim... she was booked out and missed being able to come... which was a shame as it was a great day! We went for lunch at Oriels and had the most divine food... and then we went to see RESPECT! It was great!! Was such a great way to spend the day!

I got home before 6:00 to find that Darren had given our child away for the night... he went to his very first sleep over at a friends house and I wasn't there to hug him goodbye... I was devastated! And then to top it off... here we are, childless... payday... and I'd had a huge lunch and didn't want to go out for dinner... how Murphys is that!!

Anyway... the rest of the weekend I cyber cropped at ScrapWitch and Scrapping Around... yes... full on!! The paces at both are nice and easy going... but doing the 2 at the same time! Wow!!

So onto the creations...

This is for a horrible challenge Jill {ScrapWitch... and she showed just what a Witch she was} set us. Yeah... you knwo we still love you Jill, gluttons for punishment the lot of us!! It was an Alpha/Number Challenge... so we could only use things starting with the letters given... and only those many... so we had 5 C's, 4 S's, 3 R's, 2 I's and 1 J... my LO is honestly a tragedy... there's no saving it, shows the exhaustion set in as it's the last one I did all weekend!


This one I do like... nice and simple!! It was a sketch challenge and we had to use the word Light or Shine in the title... actually if you need some sketch inspiration Jill does pretty cool ones... there is always room for such individuality in them! This was done as an 8x8... I'm going to use the little 8x8 album I bought when with KarenM {she has one the same} as a little book of things that move me... and this is a perfect start for it!


OK... over to the Scrapping Around ones. I've been popping in over there as TassieKaren and Jac both DT there... and I like to catch up with them... although we do chatter on MSN... guess sometimes you need more outlets for chattering with those that care about you {and vica versa}. Monique {the owner} knows I have a store... but she's let me join in so I can chatter. I appreciate and respect her trust in me! People who know me know that I'm generally upfront and wouldn't go behind backs... it's just tacky... but for someone who doesn't know me to be so accepting... it's a great feeling!

Anyway... this one was an inspiration challenge... we had to use 3 colours from an image and include the number 1... so this is mine. It's a bit dark though... scanner didn't want to play the game and I took the photo inside at night. Pastels and I don't get on well... but we got there in the end!


This was a sketch challenge using one of Becky's PageMaps... Monique has been setting up the new shopping cart... forums... home page... so she's been a tad busy to create a new one of her own! I loved this one though... a round one, although I've backed it onto a 12x12. We also had to have pics showing a celebration... and I decided to do the usual weirdo and choose our day out with the girls... celebrating just being woman... yep... hear us roar!!


And this is half of Jac's step by step... the other half is pretty much the same... tell ya though... trained her well, she's a devil this one... I had to actually create an embellishment... like really now... we all know how lazy a scrapper I am... took me ages!! I so love that Strano bow on there though!!


So that's my weekend! Rock on the next one!!

Tinkering Ink

I adore the new Tinkering Ink papers... the saturated colours and bold "out there" patterns really appeal to me... how to use them though was another matter totally! Not quite sure if I've done them justice here, it's not quite what I imagined when I started with them yesterday... but I do love what I have created! This is my cute cute neice Lily {she's in there somewhere... honest}:


I've used: Tinkering Ink Perfectly Posh Pish Posh with Brown/Aqua Dot MMM Fabric and Jenni Bowlin Pink Diecut Label, Bazzill, Pressed Petals Alphas, Basic Grey Block Alphas, Digi Cut Letters {Arial Black}, TLC Flourish, Junkitz Laguna Paint, DM, heaps of ultra fine glitter and inspiration from Steph Devlin and Suz Doyle!

Alpha Challenge LO's

I did these layouts last weekend I think... forgot to share them with you!! Both were for the Alpha Challenges over at ScrapWitch... I'm about 10 weeks behind, but they are getting done!!

This one: "L" so I've done "Laughlines" and used Letters {duh}, Loveheart, Lined paper and Lace.


This one is "W" so I've used a W word in the title and wonky arrows... and words in the journalling... W was hard!!

LO Challenge by Vicki

After 3 attempts I finally managed a layout yesterday, fuelled by one of Vicki's Challenges over at Vicki's Venue. If you're looking for a bit of inspiration go check her site out, it's cute and has some fabulous challenges... Vicki is such a darling that you'll feel at home in minutes!

Anyways... I have an awesome 1/2 done masterpeice using Tinkering Ink, Jenni Bowlin & Scenic Route papers {inspired by the neverending talent of Steph Devlin and Suz Doyle}, but I simply couldn't get it to work with the photo! So changed it for some KMA Dirty Laundry, K&Co & Sassafras Lass papers I had left in my huge paper stash... and they were perfect because of their simplicity.

Seems simple and Mistra go hand in hand lately {yes, keep the smarty pants comments to yourselves... LOL} I like this photo too... cropped right into the pic and then changed the midtone contrast right up and the lighten shadows to max as well... love the effect!! And no brushes... been a while since I've not added a brush to the pic! But get a load of the pink and green... are we allowed to scrap in such "outdated" colours you ask... of course, it's scrapping, it's for fun... there's no rules... and it works!!

No matter what stage of this crazy scrapbooking game we play, whether you are at the beginning, the middle or the whole complete obsessed place it can be {hehehe that's me}... scrapping is for fun and for the memories you are recording {as well as making}... enjoy it... always!!

Just a quick update to let you all know that yes, I am alive!! I've kept to myself a lot these few weeks, mainly because work has still been so busy for me. I am winning though and am getting a 'groove' happening with the new {well temporarily new} job!

I have many projects to finish... but I think I'll be able to do them this weekend, especially since 3 of them were supposed to go out yesterday... oops, very naughty me!

Not a heck of a lot to share with you all though... it's simply been work work and work. We went out to the PICA's {Printing Industry Craftmanship Awards} on the 18th. The pic here is of myself and Sonia, one of the reps from work. Yep... my hair has been cut short and was straightened for the night. Got the hairdresser to match the roots and put some foils in... I love the result. It was great fun to get all dolled up though, put on the makeup and heels and go out on the town. Darren drove so I happily drank some very nice red all night, danced, talked and had a great night!

Last weekend Kellan's friend stayed for a sleepover... and I got to hog the TV!! Have had a couple of 'drinks' nights at Chelle's, that's been a great destressor... always so good to hang out with the girls and have a great laugh! An that's about it from me. If I actually scrap this weekend I'll update the blog with the creations... don't hold your breath though!!

Oh... before I forget... a big Happy Birthday for yesterday to Vicki... and Happy Anniversary today... have yourselves a beautiful day!!

Until later... take care of you!

OK... an update... see Lisa... said I'd do it tonight!!

I have been one FLAT OUT BUSY BEE!! First I've been doing a different job for a few weeks now, and helping with my usual job where I can. It's hard work and does my head in, so by the time I get home I have no energy for scrapping and chatting and shop updating... so 2 are always neglected as I only have the energy to do one of them, if that even!! But that will end when the guy comes back to do his job in about 3 months. So lots of things are being a little neglected... friends, forums, scrapping... the blog! Family isn't though, family is always first and I'm also looking after me... not going back 'there' again I can tell you that!!

Last week a friend came over from Melbourne and we had the BESTEST fun for 5 days!! We did the tourist thing, checked out the Craft and Quilt Fair, did lots of sightseeing and lots of relaxing and chatting, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I met Karen when I went to Melbourne to stay with Jac. She's a ScrapWitch regular and we simply just 'clicked'... it's like we've been friends forever!!

I have managed to get some scrapping done this weekend though... AND... I finished all 5 LO's for the FK Awards, well almost... one needs a few additions that are coming. I'm really happy with them... they are all very different, but all very me.

Soooo what else... went shopping yesterday and bought an outfit for next week's PICA awards {Print Industry Craftsmanship Awards}, spent FAR too much money... but it's a gorgeous suit and I had nothing... absolutely nothing to wear. Most of my clothes are casual now as it suits our current lifestyle. But I was sensible, I can wear this in summer as well... so anyway... will show you some pics of that after the event!!

I finally got a mobile phone! A hand me down from work but it's got internet and Microsoft ActiveSync, so I feel very spoilt!!

OH OH ... got a new car as well! It's a Kia Cerato and I really love it!! It's so spacious inside... actually usable as a family runabout as Darren @ 6'3" fits in with space to spare!!

That's about it I think... so time for LO show and tell!!

Okies... this one was for the SW Cyber Crop this weekend. Was a doozy. We had to use items that started with each letter of the word CHIPBOARD. So mine were:

C: Chipboard Alpha and Chipboard Circle
H: Hambly Overlay and HS Florals
I: Ink and Inspiration {from a LO by KarenM using the same colours}
P: Photo and Patterned Paper
B: Brown & Bella Chipboard
O: Orange and Oops I forgot the Organza
A: Aqua and Arctic Frog Paper
R: Red and Rhinestones
D: Dimensional Magic and Digital Brushes

It's an old photo of Kel, but I've only scrapped it for his album, so have done one for ours now as well!



This I did after Nes and Peta came over to meet Karen... we each did a LO using the same pic and they're all so different!! I've used "imaginary" as a dig to all the hubbies out there who think our online friends are imaginary ones... coz on most counts their not!!



This was for another SW CC Challenge... to use a nursery rhyme as the title for your LO.


And my last for the weekend SW CC Challenges... use "the great escape" as as your title or in your journalling.


And this is my new car... LO yet to come!! It looks small... but its actually pretty big!!

So that's me... hope you are all well! Hopefully soon I can get back into the swing of juggling life again and do some blog rounds and catch up with you all!! Until then... take care of you!!

Cat's out of the bag...

... so I can blab!!

For 3 months I have had a big secret... a very exciting secret, that I wasn't allowed to share until the August Edition of For Keeps is out... do you realise just how HARD that is!!

Well it's out... a few of you who know me well will have worked it out for yourselves anyway... but...

I was one of the very lucky winners of the Everyday Moments Competition! I'm a tad bit excited to be able to share with everyone!

Plus I am now hanging for FK to get to WA so I can see who else won!!

I won $1000 of delicious scrap goodies... of which I've not doubled up on on stuff I already had {awesome hey}, plus the LO's in the mag {which I'm yet to see} and the enormous satisfaction that comes with it all! So thank you ForKeeps and Aussie Scrap Source... you made my decade!!

Hiya!!

Long time no blog... tough!! Nah... just haven't done a lot to write about. But this last weekend I scrapped up a storm... did 2 CyberCrops! One at ScrapWitch and one at Scrapping Around {where Karen DT's}. Popped in there and had a lovely time and met so many faces I've known years ago... small world hey!! ScrapWitch was a hoot as always...

Anyway... the layouts!!

This one... had to use ink in 5 different ways. So I have distressed the edges pad to paper, distressed the tag via sponge applicator, stamped with ink, written with ink pen, coloured in in ink. {I didn't take this pic... my friend Julie took it from her back verandah in Esperance... I had to scrap it!}


This one I just did for fun... had to play with these yummy papers! They're in the shop if you want them - the papers, not the LO!


This is my first LO I did for Scrapping Around CC... was a numbers one. 1 PP, 2 Cardstock, 3 photos, 4 words and 5 Embies... I quite like how this one turned out!


This was also for SA... a cute 6x12! What a fun size. Fine... took me hardly any time but you don't know how hard it was to choose the right arrow LOL, but it works and that's all that matters. Thanks Monique... I enjoyed trying something new!! Great way to use up those big offcuts as well!


This was for the Witch... not too sure how I feel about this one, loved the challenge though. It was to use ribbon in 5 different ways, while scraplifting one of the members layouts or technique. So I chose Penny Hackney, I love her freehand style and find it such a challenge! So this is it... I am obviously not the next Penny! Oh btw... congrats Penny on getting this months Scrapbooking Memories FRONT COVER... wooohooo girl!!


Alrighty.. this one, use the phrase "Bloom where you are planted" somewhere, somehow. I soooo had something totally different in mind... but am happy with this, simple but effective I think!


And this one {yep... was a busy girl}, use the song title "because of you" on your layout... and here we go, another simple LO. Oh well... this is what I'm liking doing atm... just can't quite do the full on fill the page ones right now... next stage of the scrap journey I guess!!


So that's the layouts...

Went to see Harry Potter on Saturday... it was awesome! I am soooo enjoying these movies! Will get the books when she finishes the series... no way am I hanging out for months {years} like I did for Stephen Kings Dark Tower Series again!!

Got some more acceptances for FK... been a while since I've been subbing so submitted a couple {about 20... lol} and got some!! So will have layouts in Issue 57 {this month} and Issue 60.

What else... not a lot! Kel is going a bit stir crazy stuck at home on the holidays, loves not being at school... but they're not doing much here. Next holidays I'll have to take time off so at least he and I get out of the house. They did go to Darren's mum's today to help in the garden though, so that's good and Kel loves hanging out at grandma's.

So all's quiet on the home front... that's why I got so many LO's done! No guests, no visitors... just us doing our own thing, as much as I love seeing, doing and going... it's nice to just be at home and do nothing!

So that's all for me... until next time, take care of you!!

I had a great time at the Austism Crop in all aspects... fun, scrapping and luck wise!! I scrapped 3 layouts for the FK Awards for Excellence thingy, I can't show them yet but I think they're good, they're 'me' and that's what matters... one has 3 hours of hand sewn beadwork on it... but it was so worth it!! Had fun chattering and won a real treasure which I will adore for years to come... I was the lucky duck who won the special album. I nearly fell over and I sooooo wanted it {although I guess everyone did}. It's full of stunning layouts done by some very talented ladies and will not only serve to be a gorgeous album when I get pics into it, it will also be a great source of inspiration to further my own scrapping style.

So this weekend, instead of doing all the paperwork for end of year and BAS etc, I decided to scrap, as you do when procrastinating. And then as you do while doing said procrastinating sat here most of the day doing nothing... packed the kits up ready to go out, sorted out my Bazzill racks and worked out what needs to be reordered... moved some paper around in the racks... drooled over all the flowers in the shop... eventually I got my circle journal started for the SnC group and then about 7:00pm finally decided I should do that scrapping after KarenM decided I needed to give her a sketch. Nes told me about the CISters Stylish Sketches, so I found them via KarenB's blog, sent one over to Kazz and then was promptly told I can do it as well... so created this:


It's pretty much just as the sketch as I didn't have a lot of oomphf to be deviating away from it!!

And then I created this... got this one done nice and quick... again the use of sketches helped, this time the ever reliable Becky Fleck came to my rescue...


Now can someone tell me why on earth I do this... use flowers on a boys LO... and then finally get a girl to scrap and use none!? I do it all the time... ok, so I'm weird!!

Last weekend I created the start of my coffee filter circle journal with some of the girls from ScrapWitch... now this was fun!! I can't wait to get it back, should be a quick one as well as the groups are small and we're working on a 2 week turnaround!! So this is my Cover and my pages on what Happiness Is. I've done a LO similar in the past, its one of my fave LO's so I thought I'd adapt it for this little journal.



Other than that... not a heck of a lot happening! Have more yummies for the shop {at least the shop is always a happening thing!!}... am a month ahead of myself for the kits... just have to get the newsletter done and sent... not to mention get the new yummies into the shop!! That would help a tad.
Been very tired all week ... am getting sick of hearing myself say "I'm so tired", it's pathetic to hear it again and again... but I am, and at least I know I'm a sad case!! I should just sleep the weekend away... but I hate to think I'm missing out on something!!

Last night we had dinner at Chelle's {thanks again Chelle}... it was divine! Beef and Pork roast on the weber, lasagne... heaps of veggies... and a bottle of yummo Watershed Unoaked Chardonnay all for me! Darren was driving so for once I could drink... and I did!! But had no hangover this morning... bonus!! Was great to catch up with the girls with the hubbies in tow as well, must do it more often!!

So... tomorrow... paperwork and BAS, it's a must do!! Woohooo... NOT!!

Until next time... take care of you!!